(1) Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a thermosetting resin system that is useful in the manufacture of high performance prepreg, laminate and composite materials as well as the prepregs, laminates and composites made from the thermosetting resin composition.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Plastics have certain mechanical and structural limitations that have been lesssened by reinforcing the plastics with other components. Composites formed of various fibers embedded in a polymer resin matrix are especially useful, however, such compositions are susceptible to enormous physical property variations depending upon, for example, the nature of the fiber used, how the fiber is utilized, and the fiber matrix or binder. The uses for such composites range from airframes to tennis rackets and from boat hulls to rocket motor casings, and laminates for use, for example, as multilayer printed circuit boards in the electronics industry.
Performance requirements for composites and laminate materials are becoming more stringent. In the electronics industry, for example, high speed high frequency circuits require substrates with difficult to attain electrical properties, such as low dielectric loss and low dielectric constant. Current composite materials do not meet these electrical requirements. In addition, other materials that may exhibit favorable electrical properties do not possess the thermal properties required for composites and laminates. There exists a continuing need, therefore, for new composite materials having favorable thermal and electrical properties, such as low dielectric loss and low dielectric constant.